Featured Articles Archive - Page 341

East, West to flavor Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace

David Rockwell says the beauty of Las Vegas is its constant reinvention.He would know.Rockwell and his New York-based Rockwell Group had a hand in creating the interiors at several Strip resorts, most recently The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Crystals at CityCenter.On Monday, the architect described the Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace as a "distinctly Japanese experience with a Western sense of luxury," all tucked within the Roman Empire-themed resort.The Nobu Hotel allows Rockwell and his team to take their 20-year relationship with Nobu, the restaurant operator with 25 locations on five continents, and bring that sensibility to a Strip hotel."We went back to the early thoughts of the restaurants and what sets them apart," Rockwell said...read more

A sports bettor's top-10 nightmares

It was a roller coaster weekend for sports bettors. Between the Belmont Stakes, which Didn't Have Another, and the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley boxing match, a lot of money changed hands. Both stories were a bit of a nightmare for some sports bettors, however. Most fight watchers thought Pacquiao dominated the fight, and when the judges announced a split decision in favor of Bradley, people with money on the line must have been shocked. In the Belmont, horse bettors had the opportunity to take advantage of lots of public money flowing in on I'll Have Another, giving other horses a lot of extra value...read more

Phil Hellmuth Jr. wins record-setting 12th career World Series of Poker event

Poker superstar Phil Hellmuth Jr. won his record-setting 12th World Series of Poker individual event championship bracelet early Monday morning at the Rio, further separating the self-described "poker brat" from his two closest rivals. Hellmuth topped a field of 309 players to win the $2,500 buy-in Seven Card Razz event to earn the gold bracelet and $182,793...read more

Exit of CFO Halkyard may create scramble for Caesars Entertainment

To use a cooking analogy, you don't want to the see your head chef fleeing the kitchen just as the appetizers are headed to a table of food critics. But that's exactly what took place at the end of May in the offices of Caesars Entertainment Inc. Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Halkyard is departing the casino giant after nearly 13 years for a similar position with power utility NV Energy. Halkyard, who held corporate finance and casino operations roles with Caesars and its predecessor Harrah's Entertainment before he was named CFO in 2006, is leaving when the company's expansion and financial initiatives are cooking on the stove...read more

Is 2012 the start of a new chapter in the poker career of Phil Ivey?

Phil Ivey quietly returned to the World Series of Poker this month after spending a year out of the limelight.His comeback Friday night was anything but understated.Ivey, who owns eight World Series of Poker individual event championship bracelets, was in position to win his ninth Friday night at the Rio, reaching the final table of the Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better event.However, Ivey fell short, finishing seventh and earning $34,595.Still, his return created a buzz at the Rio during the 43rd annual tournament.Considered one of the best poker players on the planet, Ivey disappeared from the poker public following the April 2011 crackdown on Internet poker by U.S...read more

Why and how edge at blackjack changes during the course of a shoe

Probabilities in most casino games don’t fluctuate from round to round. The chance a pair of dice will land with a total of five is four out of 36, regardless of what’s been thrown since the onset of recorded time. Analogously at double-zero roulette, the prospects the ball will come to rest in a red groove on the wheel are 18 out of 38 on every spin...read more

Gaming regulators back IGT interactive game licensing

Executives for International Game Technology (IGT) told Nevada gaming regulators Thursday they are in preliminary talks with U.S. Department of Justice officials concerning wagers placed before 2006 by American gamblers with Entraction, a Sweden-based online gaming operator. The slot machine developer spent $115 million last year to acquire Entraction, an online poker operator in Europe with more than 4 million players. The discussion with the Justice Department did not stop the Gaming Control Board from recommending that IGT be licensed as a manufacturer and provider of interactive gaming systems under Nevada's newly created online gaming regulations. In fact, the company's move was praised by regulators. Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli explained that many Nevada gaming licensees may find themselves in similar situations in dealings with Internet gaming companies. Lipparelli said online casino operators may have accepted wagers from American gamblers and will have "imperfect histories" in the eyes of regulators. "A policy for perfection will eliminate everybody from the landscape," Lipparelli said. He commended IGT for taking "proactive steps" when it purchased Entraction, including decisions that put the company "at a competitive disadvantage" against other online casino operators. "This should be a signal to those who come next," Lipparelli said...read more

"Historic" Nevada license for legal Internet poker clears hurdle

Nevada made its initial stride toward joining the Internet poker world Wednesday, but gaming regulators were quick to note that many more steps are needed before the first hands are dealt.Slot machine maker Bally Technologies, Inc. received a unanimous recommendation by the Gaming Control Board for the first interactive gaming license ever to be issued to a manufacturer of online gaming systems.The matter will be taken up by the Nevada Gaming Commission on June 21.The hourlong hearing in Carson City marked the first time since Nevada gaming authorities approved regulations covering interactive gaming - online poker within the state's borders - that a company was considered for licensing."We're going to see a myriad of applications," said Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli...read more

Classes are over, poker is in session

Vanessa Selbst didn't hide her professional poker career from professors and classmates while attending Yale Law School.She just put the game on hold for a couple of years. Selbst closed out her online accounts and stayed away from the tables."When you're in poker, you're really into it and you want to play all the time," Selbst said...read more

Shuffle Master says profits surge 23 percent

Shuffle Master, Inc. said Monday it grew company profits by 23 percent, despite expenses incurred through the purchase of a European online gaming company. Shuffle Master, which is based in Las Vegas and distributes table games and casino management products, said its net income was $9.7 million for the second quarter, which ended April 30, compared with $7.9 million in the same quarter last year. The company said its earnings per share in the quarter were 17 cents, a 21 percent increase over 14 cents per share in the same quarter of 2011. Companywide revenues were $66.1 million, up 10 percent compared with $59.9 million in the second quarter of 2011. Shuffle Master CEO Gavin Isaacs said revenues from the company's unique table game titles leased to casinos saw revenues jump 13 percent in the quarter. Isaacs said Shuffle Master's electronic table game segment was in transition and remains a focus. In March, Shuffle Master agreed to spend $28.5 million for Ongame Network Ltd., a European provider of online poker products, and subsidiary of bwin.party Services of Austria, one of the world's largest poker providers to online gaming operators. Shuffle Master said the transaction would allow the company to expand its online offerings in regulated gaming markets. "We are confident that our continued strong momentum across our core businesses and the rollout of our interactive initiatives are key drivers of our future earnings potential and will write the next chapter of our profitable growth story," Isaacs said. In a note to investors published prior to the company's earnings report, Roth Capital Partners gaming analyst Todd Eilers said expectations on any growth opportunities had already been priced into Shuffle Master's stock...read more